


A Crowning Tale

by PagetPaulson



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-21
Updated: 2015-09-16
Packaged: 2018-02-18 07:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2340365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PagetPaulson/pseuds/PagetPaulson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was in need of a queen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"She is beautiful," the king laughed, so cheerful as he watched the carriage drive up toward his palace. "Truly beautiful."

His advisor nodded, seeing how happy the twenty-six year old was. He hadn't seen him so cheerful since he had gotten his first crown when he was just three years old. "I have yet to see her, Aaron. Is she what's been said of her?"

The king grinned to the older man, his chestnut eyes brightening at the thought of the young woman. "She is just glorious, Uncle David. Her dark hair and eyes, her beautiful ivory skin. She is magnificent."

"Emily, her name is?"

"Emily Victoria Prentiss," Aaron nodded, looking down to his desk and organizing the ink blotters he had there. He was getting nervous and he couldn't let the beautiful girl see that. "The daughter of the Prentiss' in London, she is the definition of a lady."

David laughed, sitting himself down in one of the chairs they had in the room. "I've heard she is quite intelligent."

"Oh, very."

"Do you believe that is wise, King? Having a woman at your side that may have a better knowledge of your kingdom than you?"

Aaron shook his head at the notion. "I do not believe we will run into any problems. We are to be married, that is what was agreed upon. She seems willing to marry, and she will be willing to obey if it is so."

Hearing the bell be rung from the front of the palace, Aaron's eyes widened. "Let us go, she is here."

David followed the younger man down the castle's grand staircase and nodded to the family being led inside by one of the servants. "Ms. Prentiss," he nodded. "How honored I am to meet you."

The beautiful girl smiled, letting him kiss her hand. "As it is my honor to meet you." Reluctant to meet the eyes of the man she was to marry, Emily looked around the foyer. "It's beautiful."

Aaron looked around just as the young woman was doing and nodded, his hands clasped behind his robed back. "My mother's taste." His eyes locked onto the figure before him. "Seeing as how this will soon be yours, shall I show you around?"

The girl, only nineteen years of age, looked shyly to the older man, her eyes at his chest. "If I may, I would rather follow Sir David. I am to know him as well and might as well make nice now than after the wedding." She finally met his eyes, her fingers delicately tapping against one another. "If that suits your likeness, your majesty."

"No need for titles, Emily. You shall call me Aaron as I call you by your name," he nodded. "You may go with him while I chat with your parents." Waiting until the two had gone, the king grinned to the adults who stood in his entranceway. "I am pleased to see you both again."

The mother of the girl who was to be his new wife smiled, curtsying before the ruler of their land. "And you, King Aaron."

"It is completely glorious that you've decided on our daughter to be your wife," Charles Prentiss nodded, shaking the hand of the younger man before him. "Completely glorious. She is almost too old to gain another."

Aaron's lips curled up, hearing the gentle laugh of the nineteen year old from somewhere on the second floor of his home. "She is a wonderful woman and I know she will be of service to our land. Imagine I not have a queen? But imagine I have her as my queen," he grinned. "I shall be happy."


	2. Chapter 2

Sharing a look with the man who stayed at her side as she toured the castle, Emily's lips tilted up into a nervous smile. "I wish to thank you for accompanying me."

"I would have been sorrowed if you have not asked," the king's advisor smiled. "I have heard great things."

Emily's eyes bugged. "From only my parents, I suppose." The statement came out as a laugh, her eyes quickly averting from his and moving back to the furniture in the servants quarters. "I really don't do much outside the home."

The advisor gave a shake of his head, his growing beard brushing against the royal red of his robe. "Many speak of your family and the accomplishments of thee, but you are one that fancies many tongues. The intelligent beauty that lives upon the hill? Guess who," David laughed.

Emily set a hand to her heart, truly shocked. "I have not heard such things."

"Why would you not believe what I say?"

"It is a laugh," the nineteen year old said, baffled at the words that had been spoken about her. "I have done nothing to bring a conclusion such as that. How do they know of my intelligence? I could be a buffoon for all they know!"

David watched as the girl looked around her as if she had lost her gloves, the cold, sick, infested air biting at the delicate skin that sit there. She looked lost. "You have gone to parties, have you not? People have seen you there and spoken to you, have they not?"

"Well I suppose."

"Then why shall they not speak of kind things?"

Emily frowned, grabbing onto the material of her dress' skirt and shrugging. "I guess I know not."

Setting his hand to the small of her back, the king's advisor led her down the hallway so they could make their way downstairs. "I believe you will like it here, Miss Emily. It is beautiful, and having a face such as yours shall bring us new admirers."

"Your words are kind," the privileged girl smiled as they walked down the grand staircase. "But if I may be frank, I do not believe that Aaron and I are a good match. I know nothing of him."

"He is a king, what more is there to know?"

Emily scoffed at the logic. "I do not know him, therefore I do not love him. How can I marry someone that I do not know nor love? How can I share his castle?"

"You are asking about love when you are to come into a fortune?" What kind of a woman was she?

The brunette looked to the older man with wide eyes, the dark hair that had been piled up into a bun atop her head shaking slightly. "I must a love a man before I share his home, let alone his bed. I am not a woman of this grace; I believe in being a woman of standard, and falling into a marriage and a bed with a man I do not know is not the standard I wish to be at."

David slowly nodded his head, letting the nineteen year old find her way back to the adults that had been speaking without her to eavesdrop.

"If she is not willing, then I wish not to take her into my home. She does not need to be here with me if it is not what she chooses," the King of Patins sighed, disappointment shown on his face at the news that the parents had thrown to him.

Emily crept quietly around the bend, seeking her parents out who were now sitting outside with the king near the pond.

"Does her status help you carry any affection for her, King Aaron?" She could hear the voice of her mother, the accusation in her tone biting the head off of the younger man.

"I adore her, your lady Prentiss. She and she only."

Emily bit her lip, reluctantly making it outside and letting the breeze blow back the tendrils of hair by her eyes. "I am to be here, mother. I belong here."


	3. Chapter 3

Taking his advisor aside, the king grit his teeth. "Doth protest?"

"Whatever do you mean, my lord?"

Aaron refrained from rolling his eyes. "I have gotten everything ready: there have been letters between her parents and I, and there has even been a mailing of her favorite horse from home, and yet she is not to come."

The older man frowned. "Has she told thee why?"

"Ill," he spit out, his hand retching from the advisor's velvet coat. "It is but a farse. I know she wishes her husband were not me, but I promise I love her."

David watched as his ruled grew more and more frustrated. "And what if she is truly sick, Sir?"

Aaron quickly nodded before running from the room. "I shall travel there and get her myself! If she is to be sick, I will be there to share the time with her!"

...

The brunette looked up to her friend that stood by her bedside. "Thank you, Jennifer. It was not necessary for you to come."

Smiling down to the older girl, Jennifer ran her fingers through Emily's curly hair. "You are to be married soon. And may be the last time I see my friend as only my friend, and not my ruler."

Emily frowned, waving a thank you to her maid who set her tea down on the dresser. "You are married, are you not? You have a new life now, do you not? And we are still friends."

"When I was wed, I did not travel miles away," the blond shrugged. "You will forget about us as I have forgotten my pet after its death."

Moaning in discomfort as her blanket began to itch, the young woman shook her head. "I do not even wish to be his wife. Why must I go and dote on a man I know nothing of?"

"That is what is done. I felt as you do now, friend, but I have learned to love my new life and the man who comes with it."

Emily let out a cry, her hands slamming down on her fluffed bed sheets. "It is not what I want! I do not wish to spend my life with a man who loves an item more than I. His crown is what he holds to his heart, don't you see? I wish to have a stable boy before I have the king."

Hearing a knocking at her door, the rich girl couldn't even open her mouth before it flew open. "Emily!"

Brown eyes widening, the sick girl looked to the man who had entered her bedchamber. "My lord, what are you doing here? I reside miles from the castle. Have my parents not notified you of my condition?"

Aaron knelt by the bed after giving the blond in the room a gentle handshake, his hand grasping onto the one he would hold when they stood at the altar. "I know that it is not your wish to be with me, but I swear on all that is holy that I will do everything in my power to please you. You are a woman of such delight and integrity, I would love to have you at my side."

She bit her lip, eyes stinging at the declaration. "I am sorry, but I just do not know what is to come of a marriage where I do not know of the man I am to be with. I told my parents I belonged with you because they've tried so hard to have all of their children married off, and I was merely trying to help it along."

"So you wish not to be with me?"

Emily sighed, looking to the older man with sad eyes. "I understand the affection you have for me, but what if I am not capable of being the wife you wish me to be? I know nothing of homely duties and I am just a young girl. What if you grow tired of me?"

The king nodded understandingly, both of his hands holding hers between them. "I believe we will be good together, Emily. I love you."

"You love me?" she breathed, the question hiding in her midnight eyes. "But you do not know me."

"I know enough to know you are the one to be the queen to my king. Do you agree?"


	4. Chapter 4

"If it is not what you want then why are you to go with him?"

Emily smiled cautiously into the mirror, finding her friend's gaze in the glass. The king had stayed right beside her in her parents' home for four whole days, his knees growing so tired from being beside the bed that the sick girl actually invited him into it.

So he rested at the edge of her bed, just near her feet so he could hold tem and make sure they were warm, and they spoke about their future.

"I know more about him than I did before, Penny. He is a very sweet man."

"And devilishly handsome too," the blond added quickly. "But those two things do not mean he will be a good husband."

Emily bit her lip. "You and Jennifer have me at both sides."

The younger woman finished tying the back bow to her friend's dress before turning her around. "Do you understand where his first wife is now, Emily? Dead."

"From sickness," the brunette nodded, moving around her friend and dressmaid and picking up the hair clip on her dresser.

"Some believe it was from poison, don't you know? It was so sudden!"

Emily shook her head at her friend's antics, settling the golden clip at the crown of her head to keep her bun in place. "If it be so, the same shall not happen to me. I am careful, Penelope, and I believe that it may work between the two of us."

The blue eyed girl sighed. "But you did not want to just days before. How do you know you love him in just days?"

"This is why I must go," she smiled softly, more nervous than the other was about actually moving to almost the other end of their country to live with a man she still barely knew. "He is a good man, and my parents love him."

"More than you do."

Emily blew out a breath. "For now," she nodded. "For now."

The next time she spoke a word was that night, walking into her new home with the help of an unfamiliar maid carrying the small train of her dress. "Thank you," she nodded, smiling warmly as the doors closed behind her. "May I ask where the king is?"

King Aaron made his way down toward the foyer, smiling to the woman he saw. "Hello my love," he grinned as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "I take it your trip was well."

"Went without a hitch." She let him take her hands, eyeing the maid so she left them by themselves. "I thank you once more for bringing me here. I know we can be happy," the nineteen year old nodded.

"I am glad you agree," he grinned, pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek and leading her up the grand staircase. "Before the wedding you will have a room to yourself, and it is just down the hall from mine."

Emily's dark eyes widened as they entered the room, watching as the expensive curtains blew in the night breeze. "This is all for me, my lord?"

The king nodded. "It was my mother's."

"Oh Sir," she whispered, turning to look up into those bright brown eyes. "I cannot take your mother's room. It is not right, I am not at her status."

"What does her status have to do with a room?"

Emily gripped his hands. "Not in society, Aaron. In your heart."

The King let a small smile spread over his features before nodding his head, bending down slightly to look into her eyes. "You are gaining on her," he laughed. "Now I have a set of maids to serve you, and a present is waiting for you just outside."

The nineteen year old's lids fluttered. "Why get me something?"

"Just look."

Venturing away from the older man and out into the hallway, the brunette's jaw dropped at the sight of the familiar face. "Penny?"

"Hi!" Penelope laughed, running into her friend's arms and hugging her tight. "I was wrong, Emily. The man you are to marry is so delightful, he brought me here to be your dressmaid again!"

Emily laughed, turning her head to catch the king's eyes with hers and biting her smiling lips.


	5. Chapter 5

The wedding day was set for March 10th, just one week away, and the pair was settling into their new life as steadily as they could.

Emily didn't speak much unless it was to her friend Penelope, and if she and the king were in the same room, she'd grow stiff. It was hard for her adjusting into a new home and a new life without her family, and as much as the older man tired, he just couldn't get the nineteen year old to smile.

They had been doing well for the first few days, but just after their fourth dinner together, Emily getting ready for bed in her new room, the melancholy feeling began to set in.

Standing from his throne after a long day of speaking with the citizens of his land, Emily standing beside him throughout the hours, he turned to her. "You must be tired, love."

"I am alright," she tried to smile, nodding to the older man. "I very much appreciated being here with you today, my lord. Seeing you befriend all of those people was just marvelous."

Before he could open his mouth, the door to the room opened.

"My lord," David nodded, leading the older couple on his arm toward the king. "Harold and Julia Hartford to see you. They say it is important."

Aaron, annoyed with the older gentleman for interrupting him and his soon-to-be bride, gave a stiff nod of the head. "Sir and Lady Hartford, come in."

The elderly gentleman hastily nodded his head. "Thank you King, you beautiful man. My wife here, she is sick and we have not enough money to pay our pharmacist."

"Who is your pharmacist, Sir Hartford?"

"Sir Kennedy," Harold said quickly, holding his tired wife tight to his side.

The king nodded. His uncle. "What is it you need that costs so much, sir? Medicine is not something to be costly in that part of town."

"Well my lord, I have lost my job. The most I have right now is but half of a past week's pay."

Seeing the pain in the unfamiliar man's eyes s he waited for an answer from the man she was to marry, Emily held out her hand to gain his attention. "It shall be paid."

Aaron's eyes flickered over to the younger brunette. "Emily."

The nineteen year old ignored the older man and took the sick woman's hands in hers. "If not from the kingdom, then it shall be from my own pocket," she smiled, happy to see the light come into both adults eyes. "All you must do is send us the billing."

"Thank you," Harold cried, squeezing the young girl's hand tight before being led out by the king's advisor. "Thank you, my lady!"

Waiting until the doors were closed and he was sure that the commoners were as far away as could be, the angered king, his jaw clenching, walked up beside the privileged girl. "Please tell me what that was, Emily."

"Whatever do you mean, my lord?" She knew that she had gone somewhat out of line, but helping the poor elderly couple was something that she knew she needed to do.

"You do realize that you have gone against my authority?"

Emily turned, her hands rested at the top of her fluffed skirt as she tried to look as innocent as she possibly could. "Aaron, what else could I have done? Those two people were suffering and I could not stand to watch them cry at your feet."

The king let his eyes bore hard into those of the younger brunette. "You obviously do not know how to handle someone begging for a handout. Have you no siblings?"

"Five," the young woman said stiffly. "You know that. I apologize for going against your word, which was not even said when I made my offer, but I shall not sit here and watch two hopeless people suffer. I did what was right."

"You went against me."

Emily's eyes widened, seeing the fire spewing from his. "I apologized, have I not?"

Aaron grit his teeth, his hands clenching at his side before he looked away from his bride-to-be. "I would like you to leave my sight."

The brunette's eyes filled with tears. "Aaron?"

"Now." He turned back to his throne and walked up to get the robe he had taken from his shoulders hours before, hearing the sniffles of the nineteen year old grow quieter with each step she took.


	6. Chapter 6

"Tell me it goes away," the brunette girl whispered as she stared into her mirror, seeing her reddened eyes glistening with tears. "This horrible feeling, I do not like it."

Penelope ran her fingers through the nineteen year old's hair, her heart breaking at the look on her childhood friend's face as she reflected over the fight she had had with the man she was to marry earlier that day. Neither brunette had gone and apologized to the other, Emily hiding out in her room so she didn't have to face him. "You did nothing wrong, Emily. You offered money to a woman who was sick, what is wrong with that?"

The nineteen year old let her friend rake through her hair with her nails as she shook her head, her eyes squeezing shut as more tears fell. "I have angered him, Penny. I did not mean to but I did, and the look in his eyes scared me."

"Did I not tell you that he was a man to look out for?"

Emily forced herself not to cry, pulling back the tears that stung in her eyes. "It is only one time, but it scared me. With the look that was in his eyes, I am surprised that he did not slap me right then." She stood, letting her friend help with the end of her dress so she didn't step on it. "I must speak with him."

"But you did nothing wrong," the blond tried to reason, following her friend to the bedroom's double entranceway. "You are headed to apologize for something you were right in?"

The nineteen year old's chest clenched as she opened the door, looking up to see the sunken face of the king standing there.

"May I come in?"

She saw the tray that was clasped in the older brunette's hand, and giving her friend a look to leave them alone, Emily stepped aside. "You may."

Aaron gave as gentle a smile as he could to the blond leaving the room before entering, his eyes casting toward the vanity near the corner of the room and his hands loosening on the silver tray to set it down there. "I brought you some tea and scones. I thought it was best that we spoke."

"My lord," she whispered, walking to the other side of the room and sitting beside him on the vanity's bench. "I did not mean to push a boundary."

"I know."

Emily forced herself not to sigh, knowing that it was unladylike and completely void of manners, and in the presence of the king it would be the worst time for something like that. "It was something that I knew was right, even if it went against you. I never meant to hurt you Aaron, but those poor people were in danger of dying before us. I had to."

Nodding his head, Aaron turned his eyes away from the tray of tea and to the young one that sat at his side. "I was angry yes, but Emily, I never intended to scare you the way I did. I heard your crying as you left and it broke my heart."

"I did not intend for you to hear that," she stated somewhat shamefully, looking down to her clasped hands in her lap.

The king reached down and took her hands, watching intently as her haunted orbs looked back up into his with surprise. "Do not apologize."

Her eyes watering, Emily gave a shaky nod of the head. "Do you forgive me, sir?" She gasped, jerking back when he attempted to lean down and share a kiss with her. "My lord!"

Aaron cursed himself, dropping the brunette girl's hands and throwing his up in the air. "Oh darling, I am sorry! Nothing I can do with you is right. What am I to do?"

She shook her head, a hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Please do not do that without my permission," she whispered harshly, glaring hard at the older man. "I do not wish to have you do that until our wedding day."

"I am sorry to have caused you pain."

Emily bit her lip, her shaking hand reaching out and pouring the tea that he had brought to her room. "Please promise me something."

Tucking back the mused curls of her hair, the king met her eyes. "Of course," he nodded. "Anything you please."

"Do not yell at me again," the nineteen year old whispered, her eyes stinging with tears. If they were to be married, she was to be strong in her part, and starting here with a boundary of her own was the way to do it.

Just because she was marrying a king did not mean she was to bow down at every whim.


	7. Chapter 7

Walking from the grand entryway where she had been welcoming visitors, Emily made her way back through the castle and to the kitchen. She hadn't been able to explore every single part of her new home yet, and while the man she was to marry got acquainted with the rulers of the neighboring lands, she thought it was best to get it done now.

"Lady Emily?"

The nineteen year old smiled to the woman standing over the sink. "Hello, and what is your name?"

"Charlotte, your majesty," the older woman grinned.

Emily nodded, setting a hand to her elbow as a hello before rounding the counter. "Hello Charlotte, it is very nice to finally meet you. I apologize for not coming down to introduce myself sooner but I've been very busy with setting up everything for the wedding."

The greying woman smiled wide to the young woman that stood on the other side of the counter. "That is tomorrow," she smiled wide, as if Emily were her daughter and she had waited years for this moment. "Your wedding is to be magnificent."

"I do hope so," Emily said, sounding as cheerful as she could.

Seeing the apprehension on the soon-to-be queen's face, Charlotte stopped kneading the dough she had been working on and wiped her hands clean of flour. "Is there something on your mind?"

"Nothing too heavy," the brunette tried to smile. "I just do not believe I am ready for matrimony at this time."

"You are of ten and nine years, yes?"

Emily gently nodded her head, her hands clasped on the top of the skirt of her dress. "Nineteen years old, yes ma'am."

Charlotte felt herself smile at the term that the young woman knew she needn't use for a servant such as she. "Most would say that is too old to gain a husband, and here you are thinking you are not ready."

"I have been known to have differing opinions," the brown eyed girl nodded. "Are you married?"

The cook's eyes seemed to glaze over as she slowly nodded her head to the nineteen year old. "I was; twenty-two wonderful years before he was killed."

Emily's jaw dropped. "Oh Miss Charlotte, I am so sorry."

"He fought for our land when we were invaded two years ago, and I will always be thankful for his bravery."

Emily's lips curled up at the thought. "My father fought as well."

Charlotte went back to kneading her dough, knowing that the king would want it done before dinner time in just under five hours. "I have met the man," she nodded, not noticing the younger girl coming around the counter to help her with the meal. "A noble man your father is."

"May I help you, Miss Charlotte?"

Surprised by the question, the older woman's hands slipped from the dough and forced the rest of the flour to spill onto the floor, littering the marble with white powder. "Oh goodness," she sighed, hurrying down onto her knees to clean up the mess.

Emily didn't even hesitate before getting onto the ground beside the greying woman and grabbing a nearby rag, sweeping up the sprinkled powder all over the ground.

"Emily?"

She looked up at the voice, knowing exactly what that tone meant, and she kept her eyes void of emotion. "My lord," the brunette nodded.

The king's body stiffened, his shoulders straightening out at the sight of the still teenager he would be married to within hours helping the woman his mother had hired all those years ago. "Get up, would you?"

"I am helping, Sir. I shall be done once the mess is cleaned."

Charlotte quickly shook her head, smiling nervously to the young girl beside her before hurrying to get her up from the ground. "I have the rest of this, Miss Emily. Thank you very much for attempting to help."

Emily held her hand out. "I am alright, I can help."

The king grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up off of the ground, sending a glare to his cook as he heard Emily gasp in pain. "You may leave, Charlotte. Now." Once the older woman left them alone, Aaron let his eyes bore into those of the nineteen year old. "Is it your goal to make it as if I am marrying someone from below my status?"

"Excuse me?"

Aaron shoved the brunette into the counter. "You are to make me look a fool," he screamed, leaning down so his face was just before hers. "Do you understand that?"

"I understand that you act as if I am a child," Emily hissed. "You are to marry me, not become my father."

"And you make it seem as if I am to marry an imbecile!" He took her by the arm and dragged her up to the bedroom they were to share once married, slamming the door behind him. "Tell me, do you wish to make everything you do right while I am wrong?"

Emily kept her composure. "I am not telling you what is right or not, I am telling you what a good person is to do. I was right in what I did, sir."

The older man set his head in his hands, letting out a breath.

Biting into her bottom lip, Emily glanced up to the ceiling, trying to rid her eyes of the tears that quickly invaded. "Is this how our marriage is to be?" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "We shall fight every other day when a small disagreement becomes explosive? This is not how I would like the rest of my life to be, my lord."

Aaron gave a gentle nod of the head. "I do not wish to be the man that I see myself becoming. I am sorry, Emily. I truly am."

"I am too, my lord. I did not mean to go against you once again."

He took her hands, leaning down and pressing a light and comforting kiss to her ivory skinned forehead. "We shall make our decisions together, yes? As a king and queen may do."

Emily's lashes fluttered against her cheek when the older man leaned into her, and instead of pulling away as she did the other night, she got onto her tiptoes and let him press their lips together. She let him gather her in his arms, her hands clasping the back of his strong neck as he somehow slipped his tongue into her mouth and his hands around her waist. "We cannot," she whimpered, feeling him lead her back toward what was to be their shared bed.

The king sighed against her lips and shook his head, pulling her as close to him as he could. They had to.


	8. Chapter 8

They had sinned. The woman who was about to become queen had let the older man lie her on their now shared bed and have his way with her.

Now sitting at her vanity and having the tiara be set atop her perfectly curled hair that was set up in a bun, Emily blushed at the memory. She had declined at first, not wanting to ruin something that was meant purely for the night of their wedding, but when the king's hands had touched her the way they did, how his lips tasted upon hers, and when he had lined himself up with her burning center, she gave in.

And it was magical.

He had made her feel as if she were the only one who could help him to the end, and once they were finished and she had snuggled herself up in Aaron's arms, the nineteen year old knew that that's where she was meant to be. He was her home.

"Emily?"

The teenager turned her head, those dark eyes meeting her father's as he stepped into her room.

"It's time, darling."

Emily did her best to hold back her tears as she stood from the vanity bench, holding her hand out to her father as Penelope put the bouquet in her other. "I am ready," she grinned, feeling his hand tighten around hers.

Eyes watering, the bride's father pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I have never seen you so beautiful."

Her grandmother had been sewing the dress since she was just twelve years old, and now that she was wearing the lace garment, Emily felt the most comfortable and the most elegant she ever had. "Thank you," the brunette chuckled, smiling cheekily up to her father with her two front teeth sitting in the pink flesh of her bottom lip. "Shall we?"

He led her down the grand steps of her new home and out to the back of the palace, Emily's eyes widening when she saw all the dignitaries and people who were people to know sitting and waiting for her entrance. "Daddy, I cannot do this. How many people are here?"

"All of those who love you. Let's go," he insisted. "He is waiting for you."

Emily looked up, her eyes meeting those of the king who stood just ahead of her, his dark gaze filled with tears at the sight of her. "Alright," the bride nodded.

She let him walk her down the aisle, the flutes and violins playing the most beautiful of songs she had heard.

The king had promised her a lifetime of happiness, signing a verbal contract with the nineteen year old stating that if one were to grow angry with the other, there would be no yelling and there would be no arguments. Who was angry would walk away and gather themselves before coming back to the other and be willing to speak about the matter as calmly as possible.

And if they were to have princes and princesses running around the castle one day, they would discipline them together. No one parent would act as if they were alone in parenting the children, and they would confide in one another and speak of what was to be done before disciplining their babies.

Emily smiled. They were going to have babies.

She let her father press one last kiss to her head before she stepped up the stone altar that had been made for them, her hand now grasping that of the beautiful man who was standing before her.

Aaron was so tempted to lean in and kiss her right there, but in front of their families and friends and everyone important in the land, he had to do it right. "I love you," he whispered, barely speaking so not even the priest could hear him.

"And I you," the brunette said shakily, her throat constricting from the heaviness of the tears that had welled. "And I you."


End file.
